Extendable wick candle



Jan. 2, 1968 w. BINDERMAN EXTENDABLE WI C K CANDLE Filed Nov. 16, 1966 FIGZ FIG!

INVEN mR. WALTER BINDERMAIV BY ATTORNEY United States PatentO 3,360,966 EXTENDABLE WICK CANDLE Walter Binderman, Eatontown, NJ. 07724 Filed Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 594,801 4 Claims. (Cl. 67-55) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An extendable wick candle with a hollow body has an open top through which a liquid fuel container is slidably inserted, said container having tip-engaging means on its upper portion. The candle is provided with a tip the lower portion of which has means coacting with the tip engaging means, and is provided with a shell adjustably carried by said tip and through which the wick extends.

This invention relates to an artificial candle which employs liquid fuel and which has a body portion and a liquid fuel container mounted therein. More specificially, it deals with a candle having an outer shell over its tip which is movable and which may be used to adjust the size of the flame. An important feature of this invention is the integral mobility of the tip, shell, and fuel container with respect to the body portion so as to provide a smooth, uninterrupted outer contour for the candle regardless of the position of the movable outer shell.

Artificial candles have been placed on the market for a number of years, but most of them have no simple means for readily adjusting the wick length. If the wick is extended too far out of the tip of the candle, the fuel burns with a smoky flame. If the wick is not extended far enough, the flame burns out too readily. There is an optimum distance for the wick to extend out of the tip to give a flame of reasonable size and one which is free from smoke. To the average candle user, this distance can be attained by a trial-and-error operation which involves soiling the hands and which takes up unnecessary time.

There have been proposed movable tips for candles, but such units have proven either too expensive or they produce an unsightly candle when the tip is moved away from the candle body, whereby an ugly space is left between them. According to the present invention, such a space is eliminated, so that a smooth, uninterrupted contour is provided for the outer surface of the candle and tip.

The invention Will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment is described, and in which FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a candle of the present invention. FIG. 2 depicts a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper tip and body portion of the candle shown in FIG. 1, while FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional View, similar to that in FIG. 2, wherein the outer shell of the tip is raised, with respect to the tip and wick mounted therein. The same numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawing, numeral represents a hollow candle body, which may be made of plastic, metal or the like, having its lower portion 11 mounted in a suitable base or holder, such as holder 12. The outer shell of the tip is indicated by numeral 13, and from the top or" this projects a wick 14.

Snugly fitting inside of body 10 with a friction fit is liquid fuel container 15, preferably made of metal, and provided with engaging means such as threads 16 for engaging threads 17 of tip 18. It will be noted that threads 16 are in flush relation with the wall of container 15, so that the entire container and its threads may slide within the inside of body 10.

3,360,966 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 Tip 18 has a tapered periphery, terminating with narrow tubular outlet 19 for wick 14. Wick 14 extends into container 15 so as to contact the liquid fuel held therein (not shown). Threads 17 on tip 18 are long enough not only to engage tightly the container 15, but also to allow moving space for the threads 20 on the inside of outer shell 21.

Outer shell 21 has a smooth, tapered outer periphery, and an even smooth bottom 22 so as to make an uninterrupted and gap-free contact with upper edge 10 of body 10. Shell 21 also terminates on top with an opening 23 through which the end of wick 14 may extend without hindrance.

When in operation, the tip, shell and container are removed out of the body as a unit. The container 15 may be unscrewed from tip 18 and filled with fuel, and wick 14 is extended for a reasonable distance out of tip outlet 19. Then the unit is inserted into the top of body 10 until shell bottom 22 and body top edge 10 are in smooth, uninterrupted butting relation with each other, as in FIG. 2. The candle is lit, and if the tip is too long and smokey, outer shell 21 is unscrewed from tip 18 so that it moves upwardly, thereby making the protruding wick end 14 shorter. This is continued until the proper size non-smoking flame is obtained, in which the shell will be in the relation shown in FIG. 3. Since container 15 is held snugly inside body 10, there will be present a gap 24 which, if not covered, would seriously affect the decorative appearance of the candle. However, in the present case, all that is necessary to eliminate this serious defect is to push down on the outer shell 21. This causes end 22 of the shell to abut against upper edge 10 of the body, whereby a smooth, uninterrupted and graceful outer appearance of the candle is maintained, as in FIG. 1.

Body 10 is preferably slightly frusto-conical in shape, and shell 21 is desirably made of metal.

I claim:

1. An artificial candle, comprising:

a hollow candle body having an open top,

a liquid fuel container having tip-engaging means on its upper portion and arranged so that both container and tip-engaging means may ride within the upper portion of said body,

a candle tip having container-engaging means on its lower portion designed to coact with said tip-engaging means on said container and arranged so that said container-engaging means may ride within the upper portion of said body when engaged to said tip engaging means, said tip being tapered to terminate at its upper portion with a narrow wick outlet, through which a wick is designed to be drawn, and

a shell having a wick outlet on its top and disposable over said tip and having vertically-adjustable engaging means on its lower inside portion designed also to coact with said container-engaging means, said shell having a bottom edge designed to abut against the upper edge of said body.

2. An artificial candle, comprising:

a hollow candle body having an open top,

a liquid fuel container having a thread on its upper portion and arranged so that both container and thread may ride within said body,

a candle tip having an outer thread on its lower portion designed to engage with said thread on said container and arranged so that said tip thread may ride within the upper portion of said body when engaged to said container thread, said tip being tapered to terminate at its upper portion with a narrow wick outlet, through :which a wick is designed to be drawn, and

3,360,966 3 4 a tapered shell having a wick outlet on its top and disshaped to serve as a smooth continuation of the outer posable over said tip and having threads on its lower periphery of the upper portion of said body. inside portion designed also to engage said threads on said tip, said shell having a bottom edge designed to References Cited abut against the upper edge of said body. 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. An artificial candle according to claim 1 in Which l 1 said container is fitted with a frlctlon fit 1n said body 3 8 32:22a Pomon- 3,158,015 11/1964 Renwick et a1 67-53 4. An artificial candle, according to claim 1, in which the outer periphery of the lower portion of said shell is 10 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

